Campaign Folding Belgaum Chairs (Pair)

Campaign folding rosewood chairs from Belgaum. Belgaum's proximity to the coast and strategic position near Portuguese Goa commended it to the British as a suitable location for an army training centre and cantonment, which it continues to be today for the Indian Armed Forces, along with an air force station of the Indian Air Force. Alongside these were military workshops that produced furniture for the troops, including these folding chairs from the 1940s/50s. 
Campaign furniture was specifically made to break down or fold for ease of travel. It was designed to be packed up and carried on the march and has been used by travelling armies since at least the time of Julius Caesar! But it is mostly associated with the British Empire in the 19th and 20th century, when furniture was produced by the Army & Navy Stores. However, much of the early portable furniture would have been bespoke. It would not have been uncommon for a soldier to ask his local cabinet maker to take a domestic design and adapt it for travel. As demand grew, several well-known designers, like Chippendale and Sheraton, also began producing campaign furniture.
Campaign style furniture is historically lightweight, portable, and rugged, featuring strapwork and brass corners to protect the furniture in transport. The pieces typically feature handles, making them easy to carry when needed. Campaign furniture was also usually made of durable hardwoods such as teak or mahogany, chosen for their strength and ability to withstand the harsh conditions of military campaigns.